Global Chicago Welcomes CAPCA and RPCV Involvement
By Leslie F. Wilson

On Tuesday, January 23, 2001, 50 RPCVs and friends of CAPCA met for a monthly dinner meeting at Reza's Persian restaurant to hear Michael Diamond talk about the work of Global Chicago. Global Chicago is a local initiative to ensure that all of Chicago's global citizens - business, non-profit/NGO, civic, religious, political, and individuals without any such affiliations- are united in their efforts to ensure Chicago's status as a global city.

Expressing understanding of and admiration for the international experiences and connections that RPCVs bring to the city - especially with regard to cross-cultural issues and opportunities - Mr. Diamond spoke about the hopes and plans that he has for Global Chicago, which seeks to build a global future through local connections.

Mr. Diamond highlighted the fact that Chicago is, in fact, a global telecommunications center, a business leader, an international transportation hub, and a recognized center for human rights. Chicago also offers unmatched quality of life, including an array of multicultural assets: 22 sister city relationships, at least 150 ethnic groups and spoken languages and countless ethnic/community organizations, and headquarters or regional offices for at least a dozen international relief and development organizations.

Two RPCVs asked Mr. Diamond about Global Chicago's interest in grassroots groups and middle-sized and small businesses. Mr. Diamond responded that Global Chicago would be what we choose to make it by our participation and support as global citizens of Chicago.

For more information on how to support Global Chicago, visit www.globalchicago.org, or call 312/906-5120.

NPCA 40th Anniversary Update

National Volunteer Week
March 2-9, 2001

NPCA encourages groups to plan community service activities during the week following Peace Corps Day on March 1, 2001. This is a great opportunity to showcase what RPCVs are doing to help make their communities better places.

Kennedy Center Gala
May 21, 2001

NPCA is in the process of choosing a producer for a 90-minute 40th Anniversary show in the Concert Hall at the Kennedy Center. The show will be an entertaining look at the Peace Corps' first forty years and a time to honor the founders and ideals that make it just as relevant today as it was at the beginning. Tickets will be available through the NPCA Web site, www.rpcv.org.

National Conference in Washington, DC
September 20-23, 2001

NPCA is seeking volunteers to help organize the conference. There are many ways to be involved, even for those outside Washington, DC.

For more information on volunteer opportunities, send an e-mail to pc40conference@yahoo.com.

COS Updates and Reunions. For information about country of service events at the national conference, or to let the NPCA know about events you are planning, contact Sandra Lauffer at pc40conference@yahoo.com.

NPCA is also looking for someone who is graphic savvy to join their team. Contact Cori Welbourn for more information.

For information on all 40th Anniversary activities, visit http://www.rpcv.org, or contact Cori Welbourn, NPCA 40th Anniversary Coordinator at forty@rpcv.org or 202/293-7728, ext. 20.

CAPCA's 40th Anniversary Festivities

To celebrate the Peace Corps' 40th anniversary, at least 40 volunteers from CAPCA will join in Chicago Cares' annual Serve-a-Thon. Chicago Cares (www.chicagocares.org) is an organization that encourages and facilitates volunteerism by matching willing volunteers with needy Chicagoland organizations.

On June 9, 2001, CAPCA's team will work with thousands of volunteers on teams from hundreds of Chicago organizations and corporations to paint and repair homeless shelters, plant trees, clean parks and improve close to 100 public schools in Chicago. If you are interested in helping coordinate this activity or volunteering, please contact Trina Janes at cjanes1999@kellogg.nwu.edu or 847/663-0484.

February Dinner Meeting

Udupi Palace (Pure Vegetarian South Indian Cuisine)
2543 Devon Ave.
Wednesday, February 21, 2001, 6:30 p.m.

At the February dinner meeting, Chuck Sheftel will guide CAPCA members through the culinary experience of dosas and uthappams that is becoming popular in India. This is not as spicy as North Indian food, but delicious and unique. $18 includes all the food you can devour, drinks (the non alcoholic kind), tax and tip. Udupi Palace is east of Rockwell and west of Western.

RSVP to Chuck Sheftel at shef3886@aol.com or 847/831-3886.

Founder's Day Dinner

This year's Founder's Day dinner in June (June 2 or 16, 2001, TBD) will be organized by Nancy Kramer and Ben Peeters. For information on volunteering or joining the organizing committee, contact Nancy at (kramernancy@worldnet.att.net or 773.725.6944) or Ben at (ben_peeters@email.com or 773.773.528.6723)..

Call for Silent Auction and Raffle Prizes

CAPCA will hold a silent auction to raise money for Partnership and Connections projects. Donations of auction items and prizes of all kinds are welcome: CRAFTS, ARTWORKS, SPORTS & THEATER, TICKETS, MUSEUM PASSES, DINNER FOR TWO, CERTIFICATES FOR SERVICES.

Job Opportunity

K-5 Teachers

Asian Human Services, ChicagoÆs largest pan-Asian social service agency, has received a charter from the Chicago Board of Education to implement a charter school for immigrant and refugee elementary school aged children. They are currently seeking candidates for teachers (applicants need not be certified teachers to teach at charter schools). Because of the mission of the school, RPCVs with a background in education are encouraged to apply. For more information visit http://asianhumanservices.org, or send a message to services@ripco.com.

Volunteer Opportunities

CAPCA Newsletter Coordinator

Looking for a way to accomplish the Third Goal? Want to see more about what CAPCA's about? Desperate for any kind of skill to put on your resume? The CAPCA Board of Directors seeks a coordinator to assist in the monthly production of the CAPCA Newsletter. Assistance is needed with any or all of the following tasks: writing articles, editing articles, managing the print production of the newsletter, and managing the newsletter mailing. Please contact Leslie Wilson at 773/973-6560 or lfwilson@hotmail.com for more information.

River Rescue Day
Saturday, May 12, 2001
Friends of the Chicago River

Join the CAPCA team doing clean-up or restoration work along the Chicago River. Last year 1,600 volunteers joined the Friends of the Chicago River for 3 hours of work then enjoyed a picnic with entertainment, music and canoeing.

For details about last year's event see www.chicagoriver.org/news/rrd.asp. Watch CAPCA News and the CAPCA Web site www.capca.org for more information on CAPCA's involvement, or contact Kara J. Malenfant at malenfan@alexia.lis.uiuc.edu.

Swaziland RPCV Group Formed

Sanibonani Bonkhosi!

RPCVs of Swaziland are interested in resurrecting a Friends of Swaziland group and becoming more actively involved in issues that matter to Swaziland. One of the goals of the group is to join projects and activities designed to assist Swaziland and Swazis. The group is open to any individual interested in the overall well-being of Africa in general and Swaziland in particular.

For more information, visit the SD-RPCV/FOS Web site at http://pages.prodigy.net/vonreyn/index.htm or contact Jack G. Conrad at jackgconrad@earthlink.net.

Web Site in Kazakhstan Helps Orphans

Dana Dunne, PCV in Ust-Kameno-gorsk, Kazakhstan, has created the Project Smile Web site to help connect the orphanages in her area with supporters abroad. Visit www.smile.freenet.kz to learn how to become a sponsor or just send care-packages to Kazakh orphans. The program has already found sponsors for 75 children. For more information, contact Aimee Stratton at aimeekaz6@yahoo.com.

Seminar on Multicultural Education

Join K-12 global educators in the Chicago area on Wednesday, February 21st from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM for a workshop: "Teaching in the Global Neighborhood: Active Learning with Multicultural Education."

This workshop provides formal and informal educators with practical classroom activities that heighten students' awareness of multiple perspectives. Veteran teachers and non-governmental organizations will shareresources and teachingstrategies to broaden cross-cultural understanding.

International dancers and Haitian drummer will provide entertainment during lunch. The registration fee is $25 per person, and it includes continental breakfast and lunch. For more information, contact Susan Linyear, Global TeachNet Program Coordinator at the National Peace Corps Association,Tel: 202-293-7728, ext. 11 or email: teachnet@rpcv.org.

The workshop will be held at the Carleton Oak Park Hotel - 1110 Pleasant Street - Oak Park, IL.

PC Fellows program at ISU

The Peace Corps Fellows Program at Illinois State University is in its seventh year of training and placing RPCVs in community and economic development internships around the nation. Students who successfully complete the program receive graduate degrees in economics, political science or sociology.

The program is now considering Fall 2001 (August) and Spring 2002 (January) admissions.

For information, visit http://lilt.ilstu.edu/uced or contact the program at 309/438-8685 or UCEDInfo@ilstu.edu.

CAPCA Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

November 6, 2000, 6:00 p.m.

Present were Leslie Wilson (President), Juliann Salinas, Beth Versten, Hannah Leiterman, Marie Erdman, Maxine Gere, Miriam Hussain, Kara Malenfant, Chuck Sheftel and Trina Janes. Absent were Stephanie Arnold, Nancy Kramer, Liz Thomas, Wallace Goode, Greg Nessinger, David Pope and Pat Thompson.

The board approved minutes for the August, September and October 2000 board meetings. Sept and Oct minutes were placed in the newsletter, and all will be available on the CAPCA Web site.

New Business

Janes nominated Marie Erdman for the position of Secretary. Gere seconded the nomination, and Erdman was unanimously elected by those present.

Membership: Membership expiration dates are listed on the mailing labels for the newsletter. Two months before memberships expire, CAPCA will notify members by highlighting the expiration date on the label. Versten agreed to write a notice about membership renewal for the December newsletter. Further, it was agreed that memberships would be allowed to expire with no further notification beyond the highlighting of the expired date.

Web site: Salinas will forward information about the new Web site design to the board members. All newsletters will be posted on the Web site in PDF for ease of posting. PDF is Portable Document Format, viewed using the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. Salinas will include information about how to obtain the software from Adobe. Erdman will assist Kramer in monitoring the CAPCA guestbook on the Web site.

Volunteerism: Greater Chicago Food Depository outing is on December 13, 2000, 6-9 p.m. Hannah Leiterman is the contact person. CAPCA is seeking people to join the CAPCA team that will participate in the Chicago Cares celebration of Service on Saturday, January 13, 2001 in honor of Martin Luther King Day. Trina Janes is the contact person. Janes will also coordinate efforts for assisting with Santa's Family Day. Malenfant will look into possibilities for a Spring Cleanup day with the Friends of the Chicago River, possibly in May.

Holiday Potluck: RSVP to Kara Malenfant for the Holiday Potluck on December 6. Malenfant is organizing the dinner with assistance from Donna Pitts. CAPCA will provide soft drinks, heavy plates, napkins and plastic ware. John Ziegler will be bringing some of the students who went to Ghana with the Connections group, and they will make short presentations.

Malenfant will check into having the January 2001 dinner meeting at Cafe Bolero, with Alissa Strauss, who was scheduled to go on a month-long trip to Cuba with assistance from CAPCA.

Founder's Day: Work progressed on coming up with a location and speakers for our 2001 Founder's Day celebration.

Other: Gere requested a photo of the Oak Park Council on International Affairs so she can include it in the NPCA Web site that highlights outstanding CAPCA members.

Salinas asked if anyone had a good copy of the CAPCA Logo. Leiterman will forward an electronic copy.

The CAPCA PC (donated by Nessinger) is being transferred to LeitermanÆs house for use in preparing the newsletter.

The December meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, December 20, 2000. The meeting was adjourned at 7:20 p.m.

Chicago Area Peace Corps Association (CAPCA)
2000 Annual Report

Y2K was another excellent year for the Chicago Area Peace Corps Association (CAPCA). Highlights included the group’s receipt of two awards from the National Peace Corps Association: the prestigious Loret Miller Ruppe Award for Outstanding Community Service for our partnership with Chicago’s Youth Guidance Connections program, and the Best Web Site for a geographical area. The awards were received at the NPCA’ s summer Leadership Conference, which was attended by NPCA liaison-to-CAPCA Kelly Brest van Kempen, immediate past President Maxine Gere, and current President Leslie Wilson.

Our continuing commitment to the Connections program helped them fund their third trip to West Africa. This year the group added Togo to their itinerary, and they returned to Ghana as well. Though the group did not connect up with a Peace Corps Volunteer or village for a hands-on project this year, CAPCA continues to support the overall mission of the program - youth leadership development that is cognizant of the importance of cross-cultural influences and understanding, and of self-reliance and personal responsibility. This year a Connections program youth leader was the guest speaker at our year-end holiday potluck, which was attended by about 100 RPCVs and friends. Among these friends was Connections program leader John Zeigler to whom CAPCA Vice President Wallace Goode presented a check for the $250 cash portion of the Ruppe Award for use in the program.

John Zeigler and his wife, Theresa, were also guests at our Founder’s Day dinner (June), following a day in which he hosted Peace Corps Director Mark Schneider on a visit to one of the neighborhoods where the Connections program has its greatest impact.

Another highlight of the year was, in fact, Director Schneider’s attendance and remarks at the Founder’s Day dinner. As in 1999, the dinner, which was Co-Chaired by Helen Haugsnes and Nancy Kramer had about 100 attendees, including two soon-to-be Trainees and members of their families and several Nominees. The dinner was held at the Field Museum of Natural History, and featured a silent auction and raffle, which, along with the sale of program ads, helped ensure proceeds of $2,860 toward our pool of funds for Partnership Projects and other community efforts, like our support of Connections. As a token of our appreciation to Director Schneider, CAPCA made a contribution to a Partnership Program project in El Salvador - the El Vado Community Center.

During 2000, CAPCA made contributions of $2,500 to Connections, $261 to the Partnership Program, and $500 toward RPCV Alissa Strauss’s participation in the NPCA-sponsored Cuba trip for public health RPCVs.

As is CAPCA’s custom, many excellent monthly dinner meetings took place in 2000. The cuisines enjoyed by groups of 20 to 50 each month were Ethiopian, Middle Eastern, Indian, Peruvian, French, Pakistani, and Greek. The August meeting was held at Chicago’s Peace Museum, where guests learned about the distinguished the 20-year history of the museum. September’s meeting featured a presentation from three members of CARE International’s Youth Corps, who talked about the impact of their three-week trip to work in one of CARE’s projects in Peru. In November, CAPCA President Leslie Wilson was the guest speaker at the Oak Park Council of Foreign Affairs annual dinner, and about a dozen other RPCVs joined Council members in celebrating their 37th year of supporting Peace Corps Volunteers worldwide through Partnership Projects. This year, the Council funded their 237th through 243rd projects. The Oak Park Council includes two RPCVs on its Board of Directors - Dawn Parsons-Feller and Margaret Rohter, and several other RPCVs among its members.

On the local volunteer front, CAPCA members worked three different times, as a group, at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, where two RPCVs are on the administrative staff. Additionally, CAPCA hosted a table at the Food Depository’s annual volunteer recognition dinner. In March, individual RPCVs - both CAPCA members and non-members - participated in Peace Corps Day by visiting classrooms throughout the City and suburbs. In August, CAPCA members volunteered with Friends of the Chicago River for a day.

This summer the CAPCA-affiliated "Culture Shocks" softball team, which has been competing for a dozen or so years now, completed its season with a record of 5 and 5. And, RPCV Ralph Mafucci welcomed Peace Corps friends to his customary summer (and winter) weekend at Camp Vista in southern Wisconsin.

Additionally, CAPCA purged its membership database this year. When the year ended, CAPCA had 200 current dues-payers. Now, to help ensure that this number increases, Nancy Kramer is working as Membership Coordinator, with responsibility for thanking renewing members and welcoming new members. Treasurer Stephanie Arnold has assumed responsibility for managing the database, and is owed a great debt of gratitude - and public recognition - by CAPCA and NPCA for her efforts in this regard.

The CAPCA Web Site now has a leadership team led by Greg Nessinger and Juliann Wilson Salinas who, in early December, unveiled a redesigned site, which is even more user-friendly than the earlier, award-winning version.

During 2000, several members left the CAPCA Board through early resignations or ends of terms, and a word of thanks goes to each of them: Anthony Bradford, Mary Collins, Helen Haugsnes, Laura Kochevar, Patricia Thompson, and Carol Wilkerson. Additionally, Marium Hussain stepped in to serve as Secretary for several months. In September, Marie Erdman, Trina Janes, Kara Malenfant, and Chuck Sheftel joined the Board, by election or appointment, and in December Ben Peeters came on board as an appointee.

Throughout the fall, the CAPCA board once again sold the Madison RPCV groups calendar, netting more than $1,000 for our support of community and Partnership projects. CAPCA is grateful to the Madison group for making this fundraising opportunity possible for us, to RPCVs Howard Raik, Noel Jackson, and Wallace Goode for buying so many calendars, and to Stephanie Arnold for coordinating this effort yet again.

Finally, in early December a cadre of RPCVs were active and informed participants in an important workshop sponsored by GROW-Chicago, a collaborative initiative to draw public attention to and interest in the need for US Government funding of economic development projects for women and girls in the developing world. Of approximately 40 attendees, about 20 were RPCVs - some had served in the ‘60s and some had returned from service within the past year.

Keep current with CAPCA!

At the end of 2000, CAPCA membership was down to less than 200 paid members. The CAPCA database is now up to date (thanks to Stephanie Arnold), enabling us to accurately track membership renewal dates. Please take the time to confirm that your membership is current, and if it lapsed, to renew your membership today. Note that you will need to keep your CAPCA membership current in order to continue receiving this newsletter.

Your membership renewal date is printed to the upper right of your address on your newsletter's address label. If that date is missing, please let us know. For your convenience, there is a membership renewal form on the back of this newsletter. Or renew online at www.rpcv.org. Just be sure to select CAPCA as one of your two affiliate groups.

Enjoy the CAPCA newsletter for years to come, without interruption, by making sure your membership is current.

Subscribe to the CAPCA listserv!

Send an e-mail message to capca-announce-subscribe@egroups.com. In the subject line, type "subscribe" (without the quotation marks). You should receive a message with instructions to confirm that your subscription has been accepted. Once you confirm, you'll begin to receive announcements. Stay up-to-date on dinner meetings, volunteer projects, job opportunities, and whatever else your fellow RPCVs are doing in Chicago. Post messages to capca-announce@egroups.com, and unsubscribe by sending an "unsubscribe" message to capca-announce-unsubscribe@egroups.com.